Must-Have Firefox Add-ons for Privacy and Security
Mozilla Firefox has a loyal fan base, and for good reason: it’s a reliable, fast browser that’s easily extendable with a huge variety of add-ons. Many of these plugins are designed to boost your privacy and anonymity, turning Firefox into a powerful, secure browser that blocks tracking and protects your data. In this article, we’ll look at some of the most useful and interesting privacy-focused add-ons for Firefox.
Of course, you could always download Tor Browser (which is based on Firefox) or try one of the secure browsers out there. But if you’re already comfortable with Firefox, have bookmarks dating back to the Windows XP days, and don’t want to switch, these independent add-ons are here to help. With them, you can block online tracking, spoof your geolocation, modify your browser fingerprint, and much more.
Top Firefox Privacy Add-ons
Privacy Possum
Privacy Possum is one of the most popular Firefox add-ons for fighting online tracking. It blocks and falsifies data collected by tracking scripts, prevents cookies, blocks set-cookie and referrer HTTP headers, and distorts your browser fingerprint, making fingerprinting much harder.
Websites can track you not just with cookies, but also by using your browser fingerprint—information like your browser version, OS, screen resolution, and more. While not unique, this fingerprint can often identify you with reasonable accuracy.
Privacy Possum is simple: you can only enable or disable it, block auto-updates, or allow it in private windows. After installing, tests like Panopticlick and Webkay show that it effectively blocks cookies and trackers, and leaks much less information about your system.
Trace
Trace is another add-on that disrupts browser fingerprinting by modifying data sent to remote servers, including HTTP headers. The settings page is straightforward, but in the free version, you only get a basic domain list, some Facebook subdomains, and a list of crypto-mining sites. More advanced categories (like video trackers and push notification sites) are available to premium users.
TrackMeNot
TrackMeNot helps prevent search engines from tracking your queries. It sends randomized search requests to search engines, making it harder for them to profile you based on your searches. The add-on offers several simple settings, such as enabling “burst mode” (sending queries to the search engine you’re currently using), choosing which search engines to use, setting the frequency of fake queries, and managing logs. The plugin is available in six languages, but not Russian.
Decentraleyes
Decentraleyes protects you from tracking via Content Delivery Networks (CDNs) by serving local copies of common web resources instead of fetching them from public CDNs like YandexCDN, GHL, or MaxCDN. While CDNs speed up content delivery, they can also be used to track users. Decentraleyes can break some sites, so it lets you whitelist domains that shouldn’t be filtered.
Change Geolocation
Change Geolocation lets you spoof your location in Firefox. By default, it sets your location to Greenwich, London, but you can enter any latitude and longitude you want. Note that this won’t fool sites that determine your location by IP address, but it works for most others.
HTTPS Everywhere
HTTPS Everywhere is a simple but essential add-on that forces Firefox to use HTTPS on sites that support it, even if you type http in the address bar. You can easily enable or disable the add-on, block unencrypted HTTP requests, or add exceptions for specific sites. It’s a must-have for anyone concerned about online security.
FoxyProxy
FoxyProxy is a popular add-on that brings VPN-like proxy switching to Firefox. Just enter the address and port of any proxy server, and you can enable or disable it with a click. FoxyProxy supports multiple proxy servers (HTTP, HTTPS, SOCKS 4/5, WPAD, PAC URL), lets you import/export settings, and makes switching between proxies easy. It’s an essential tool for bypassing blocked sites and protecting your privacy.
NoScript
NoScript blocks scripts, which are often the main cause of data leaks and privacy breaches. In Tor Browser, NoScript is enabled by default; in Firefox, you can add it as an extension. NoScript categorizes sites as “default,” “trusted,” or “untrusted,” allowing different script permissions for each. You can edit these lists and temporarily disable NoScript for specific sites if needed. Settings can be imported/exported for easy migration.
uBlock Origin and uMatrix
uBlock Origin and uMatrix are two powerful add-ons from the same developer. uBlock Origin is a highly customizable ad blocker, while uMatrix lets you control and block browser requests. Both offer extensive settings, including filter lists, custom rules, and whitelists. uMatrix also provides privacy options like automatic cookie deletion, local storage cleanup, and blocking mixed content. While they require some setup, they can replace most other ad blockers and content filters.
Google Search Link Fix
Google Search Link Fix is a simple add-on that blocks Google from tracking which search results you click. Install it if you don’t want to share your search activity with Google—or just use another search engine like Yandex.
Facebook Container
Facebook Container is an official Firefox add-on that prevents Facebook from tracking your activity across the web, including on Instagram and Messenger. It also removes Facebook’s Like and Share buttons from other sites, stopping them from tracking you even if you’re logged in. Use this add-on if you want to keep your browsing history private from Facebook.
And That’s Not All
This list is just a starting point—there are many more free Firefox extensions that can make your browser even more secure and private. We’ve covered the most popular ones that should meet the needs of most users. If you have your own favorite privacy add-ons, feel free to share them in the comments!